1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a seatbelt system for restraining and protecting an occupant of a vehicle in an emergency, and more particularly relates to improvements in a semi-passive type seatbelt system wherein the occupant engages part of a webbing with a convenience holder provided on the vehicle when he gets out of the vehicle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Among various seatbelt systems, there have been proposed the so-called passive seatbelt systems wherein the webbing for restraining an occupant can be automatically fastened to the occupant after the occupant is seated. As one of the latter, there is a semi-passive type seatbelt system wherein the occupant engages part of a webbing with a convenience holder provided on the vehicle when the occupant gets out of the vehicle. The present invention is applicable to such a system.
FIG. 1 shows one embodiment of a semi-passive type seatbelt system of the prior art, to which the present invention can be applied. In the drawing, designated at 10 is a door of the vehicle for use in getting in and out of the vehicle; 12 is a seat for an occupant; and 14 is a retractor provided at a side surface of the seat 12 for the occupant opposite to the door 10. Reference numeral 18 is a convenience holder provided in the inner forward portion of the door 10 and having an engageable hook 20. Reference numeral 24 refers to a lap webbing, one end of which is secured to an anchor plate 26. The intermediate portion of lap webbing 24 is inserted through and fixedly engaged with an engaging anchor 28 for engaging the engageable hook 20 of the convenience holder 18. The other end of lap webbing 24 is adapted to be wound up by the retractor 14. Reference numeral 30 refers to a shoulder webbing, one end of which is engaged with the upper portion of the door 10 through a tongue plate 31 engaged with a buckle 32 and the other end of which is engaged with the engaging anchor 28. Reference numeral 34 refers to a regulating handle for elevating and lowering the window pane of the door; 36 is an arm rest; and 38 is an inside handle for opening and closing the door. The buckle 32 operates as an emergency buckle for disengaging the shoulder webbing 30 when the occupant must get out of the vehicle.
In the semi-passive seatbelt system of the type described, heretofore, the occupant has engaged the engaging anchor 28 with the engageable hook 20 provided on the convenient holder 18 before he gets out of the vehicle. If the occupant closes the door after he gets in the vehicle again, then the engageable hook 20 is turned to let the intermediate portion of the webbing fall, whereby the webbing comes at its intermediate portion in contact with the occupant surrounding his body. The opposite ends of the webbing are engaged with the center portion of the vehicle and the door respectively, so that the webbing can be automatically fastened to the occupant.
In the semi-passive seatbelt system of the prior art, it is possible to positively fasten the webbing to the occupant when he first gets in the vehicle. However, there has been encountered a disadvantage such that, when the occupant has engaged the engaging anchor 28 with the engageable hook 20 again after he gets in the vehicle, or, when the tongue plate 31 has been disengaged from the emergency buckle 32 for some reason or other, the seatbelt system is not effective to perform its function, and moreover, no caution or warning is given to the occupant.